A copy of the letter, sent to the city's attorney, Kendall H. MacVey of Best Best & Krieger, by water company lawyer George M. Soneff, says the water company could host a meeting with the city at its San Dimas offices on Jan. 14, 15, 24 and 25.

Golden State's letter was in response to Claremont's Dec. 11 letter from Ramos, which asked for a meeting between the two sides with attorneys.

"If the purpose of our letter was to accept that invitation, then I do not see how the presence of attorneys (i.e., you and me) at the meeting would be helpful," Golden State's letter reads.

"Moreover, the recent study by Dr. Rodney Smith - an expert in water resources economics, and longtime Claremont resident and Economics Professor at Claremont McKenna College - demonstrates that even if the system were for sale, it would be extremely unwise for the city to purchase the system.

"Residents would be obliged to repay enormous debt that would drive up water rates for decades and would potentially hamper other important functions, such as school district funding. Additionally, the city would face operational and managerial challenges in running a water system that it is unprepared to meet.

"In light of the above, Golden State is happy to meet with Claremont officials to discuss ways in which it can forge a partnership with the city to better serve residents - a meeting that does not require participation of attorneys."

On Dec. 18, Golden State released a feasibility study by a water expert it paid for that said the water company's local assets are worth as much as $204 million.

Two groups, the League of Women Voters of the Claremont Area and the Claremonters Against Outrageous Water Rates, remain dismayed about the consultant's estimate.

"They hired Rodney Smith, who once taught at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, to write that analysis of the Golden State Water System and all the difficulty cities would have going through eminent domain," said the League of Women Voters' Freeman Allen. "All the costs and the scary things. They carefully avoided mentioning the other side (of the argument). It's terrible but expected."

"They're using our rates to fight us," said Hal Hargrave of the Claremonters Against Outrageous Water Rates. "Our excessive rates are going to pay for these hired guns, these hired lobbyists, these hired groups to fight against us."

Claremont officials issued a news release two days after the feasibility study saying the water company's lobbyists and consultants were misleading residents.

City officials have been at odds with the San Dimas-based water company for some time after it asked the Public Utilities Commission to approve a rate increase of more than 24 percent for 2013 and additional increases in 2014 and 2015.

A negotiated settlement resulted in Claremont's 11,000 customers and ratepayers receiving a 15.1 percent rate hike in 2013, 2 percent more in 2014 and 1.8 percent in 2015.

In November, Claremont officials sent an initial offer of more than $54 million to purchase the company's local assets but Golden State officials have said no.